In Soundscape by Kenneth Thomas, Nick Stern meets Hannah Wren during a summer archaeological dig in Israel, where a brief academic trip turns into the beginning of a relationship that changes their lives. After a violent attack leaves Nick injured, they return to Wisconsin, carrying the aftermath into their daily lives, only for the relationship to be further altered by the hidden realities inside Hannah’s family home. As circumstances force them onto separate paths, Nick’s life moves across Africa through work tied to political change while Hannah rebuilds her future under the weight of long-held secrets. Years later, a chance public moment puts them back within each other’s orbit, bringing the unfinished history between them to the surface and setting in motion a reckoning with everything that first began in Israel.

Kenneth Thomas’s Soundscape is a sweeping romance, and the author does an excellent job of maintaining the sustained push and pull created by absence and memory. I definitely liked Hannah the most, and what she has endured is absolutely heartbreaking. The author builds her up with moments of agency that feel totally authentic, particularly when it comes to single motherhood and her unbending commitment to being on the right side of a case as a forensic accountant. Thomas depicts Nick's life in South Africa brilliantly, whether he is championing for the disenfranchised or creating a careful account of the Herero and Nama genocide. For all the emotion Thomas pours into the story, he shines brightest with prose that gives a textured feeling of space, from a Bakersfield consulting office under sharp, fluorescent lights to safari grounds near Victoria Falls with expanses of mist, stone, and wildlife. Readers who enjoy romance sagas that span time and continents will find much to appreciate here. Recommended.

Engrossing story, great characters

This is an engrossing story centered on the life history of two individuals as they navigate difficult circumstances together and separately. I found the novel hard to put down and totally enjoyable! As an experienced psychiatrist, I was impressed by the consistency and integrity of the characters. I knew them, wanted to know them better, and hope the author writes a sequel. -- MSJ

"Soundscape" - superb modern saga

I finished this novel in 3 days; it kept me wanting to know more at every turn, sometimes every page, even as the plot surged on over several continents and several decades. The detail was so convincing and well described; no surprise to learn (in the acknowledgments) that the author lived parts of the story. I (and others) will know some of the history in the plot, since it is recent. That made those parts more believable. The panoramas were superb, the main characters deeply drawn and ones I wanted to know. You think you will guess the ending, but it has several levels of surprise. The story maintains this wonderful tension throughout and plot twists that are so clever. I can easily see this made into a movie. -- RGN

An exciting, well-researched page-turner with a dual-track love story

This is an exciting page-turner. So many twists and turns in a dual-track love story. Beautifully written, with well-researched details. Soundscape gave me hours of pleasure reading it. Kenneth Thomas is a talented first-time novelist. -- OR

Sweeping, heartfelt, and beautifully imagined

Soundscape is a heartfelt novel about love, loss, fate, and healing. Kenneth Thomas blends romance, adventure, history, and emotional discovery in a story with sweep and deep feeling. A moving, memorable read. -- MM

Exciting, well written and researched

Soundscape, a novel by Kenneth Thomas, follows Nick and Hannah, two undergraduate students whose intense romance begins at a summer archaeological dig in Israel. After surviving an intense local confrontation and a joint stint in a Tel Aviv hospital, their bond seems unbreakable as they plan a lifelong future together. However, out of the blue and without explanation, Hannah disappears, leaving Nick with nothing but questions. Heartbroken, Nick embarks on a chaotic 18-year journey across Europe and Africa, trying to leave his recent past behind and move on with his life. The author delivers a deeply absorbing story of love and loss. Striking a balance between wonderful life milestones and impending emotional disasters, Soundscape keeps you perpetually on edge, not wanting to put it down until you find out if they ever make it back to each other. -- DM

A very entertaining, and interesting read

Soundscape, by Kenneth Thomas, is an entertaining and well-written account of a romantic relationship that begins, ends, and then reignites, moving from Wisconsin to Israel to Africa and South Africa to California to Florida, involving archeology, history, a bit of derring do and even forensic accounting. It has unexpected turns for both Hannah and Nick who separately overcome heartbreak to forge new lives and careers. It is an enjoyable read, and highly recommended. -- PA

Two lovers are tested in this dramatic romance spanning time and continents

When a college student, Nick, decides to take part in an archaeological dig in Israel, he has no idea it will change the trajectory of his life. Once there, he meets a fellow student, Hannah, and together they experience a brutal attack on the streets of Tel Aviv. From that day forth, their lives are forever entwined.

They fall in love quickly and intensely, and it's clear to them that they are meant to be together. What the kindhearted Nick does not count on is the secret Hannah has been keeping about her father. He exerts control over everything she does, which only intensifies when she receives surprising news that forces her to part from Nick. After she flees, Nick's heartbreak is palpable. He begins to spiral.

Longing to heal, Nick sets off to explore the world, and the reader is then privy to two stories as their paths diverge. Over time, Nick creates a new life for himself, and he brings the reader along on his journey. Meanwhile, back in the United States, Hannah's story continues to unfold. Having had her life upended, she is forced to rebuild. This part of the book has a different feel from Nick's side, which helps to emphasize how separate their experiences truly are. This also serves to keep the reader guessing how their worlds will end up merging or whether they will coincide at all.

This is a lovely story with a unique perspective. Nick's journey makes the read enjoyable, and Hannah's is deeply emotional. The overall message is optimistic, emphasizing hope and tenacity throughout.